Prosiding International Conference JAVANESE WOMEN'S BELIEVE
JAVANESE WOMEN’S BELIEF ABOUT RECOMMENDED AND
UNRECOMMENDED FOODS AND DRINKS IN THE PREGNANCY AND POST
PARTUM PERIOD
Muhamad Rofi'i *
*) Basic Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro
University. Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang - Semarang, 50 275. Phone. (024)
76486849, Fax. (024) 76480919. Email: rofiimuhamad@yahoo.com
Abstract
Background: Javanese women in Indonesia have different belief during pregnancy and
postpartum. This belief was adopted because of the influence of cultures from their parents.
Purpose: This study aims to determine the Javanese women's belief about recommended
and un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy and postpartum period. Method: The
research used qualitative design with in-depth interview and phenomenological approach.
The samples were 4 women who have been pregnant and given birth. Results: This study
has eight categories i.e recommended foods in the pregnancy, unrecommended foods in the
pregnancy, recommended foods post partum period, unrecommended foods post partum
period, recommended drinks in the pregnancy, unrecommended drinks in the pregnancy,
recommended drinks post partum period, and unrecommended drinks post partum period.
Javanese women believed that the recommended foods during pregnancy are rice,
vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes. They must meet the demands of cravings (desire to eat)
of certain foods when they want. The foods which are taboo or not recommended during
pregnancy are durian, chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple, sugar cane, sweet meals,
beef sate, catfish, shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods. The foods recommended after
childbirth are nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters, braised tofu and tempeh.
The foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and sour
foods, egg and fish. Meanwhile, the drinks recommended during pregnancy are maternal
milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink and honey mixed with chicken egg. The unrecommended drinks during pregnancy involve ice, herbs and sweet drinks, while the drinks
recommended after childbirth are herbal drinks for breast milk production. In postpartum,
women are not recommended to have iced drinks. Conclusion: Community nurses to provide
services in accordance with its beliefs that are contrary to the concept of health and support
the ones which are in line with it.
Keywords: community
recommended drinks
nurses,
pregnancy,
postpartum,
recommended
foods,
un-
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, Javanese women adhere to special dietary practices during
pregnancy and post partum period. Javanese women in Indonesia have different
belief during pregnancy and postpartum. This belief was adopted because of the
influence of cultures from their parents. Dietary rules and regulations may govern
particular phases of the human life cycle and maybe associated with special events
such as pregnancy, childbirth, post partum and lactation. Food and drink taboos
have a long history and one ought to expect a sound explanation for the existence of
certain dietary customs in a given. Post partum maternal food restrictions (food
avoidances) are common practices, which may have important health consequences
in reducing the nutritional content of breast milk. Traditional practices may have
important health implications for both mother and infant. Early complementary food
may reduced or terminate thier breast milk intake.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to determine the Javanese women's belief about recommended and
un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy and postpartum period.
MATERIAL & METHODS
Sample : The samples were 4 women who have been pregnant and given
birth. The participants were Javanese etnic, with age rate 27 – 44 years old.
Instruments : The research used qualitative design with in-depth interview and
phenomenological approach.
Data collection : The participants received a letter of information, which
described the aim of the study. All 4 participants approached, declared wilingness to
participate in a personal, tape recorder interview. The interview were open and semistructured, which is the general data collection method when using qualitative
research methods. The interviews varied betwen 40 and 60 minutes and each
interview was carried out at a time and in a place, chosen by the participants.
Data Analyisis : The author performed the analysis. The author transcribed
each interview verbatim. The interviews were read through several times to gain
familiarity of the material and sense of the whole. Each interview was then
processed separately to identify narrativesthat described Javanese women’s believe.
The analysis entailed comparisons of narratives to identify differences and
similarities betwen them in relation to the aim of study. The narratives were grouped
according to common characteristic traits in order to obtain an overall picture of how
these narratives could be related to each other. Saturation was reached after four
interviews, the point at which no new believe emerged in the analysis. The
categories were formulated so that they described the context and were illustrated
with quotations from the interviews.
RESULTS
No
Categories
Keywords
1. Recommended foods in
Rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes
the pregnancy
2. Unrecommended foods in Durian, chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple,
sugar cane, sweet meals, beef sate, catfish,
the pregnancy
shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods
Nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters,
3. Recommended foods
braised tofu and tempeh
post partum period
4. Unrecommended foods
Chili, spicy foods, hot and sour foods, egg and
post partum period
fish
5. Recommended drinks in
Breast milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink
the pregnancy
and honey mixed with chicken egg
6. Unrecommended drinks
Ice, herbs and sweet drinks
in the pregnancy
7. Recommended drinks
Herbal drinks
post partum period
8. Unrecommended drinks
Iced drinks
post partum period
Tabel 1. Categories and keywords Javanese women's belief
This study has eight categories i.e recommended foods in the pregnancy,
unrecommended foods in the pregnancy, recommended foods post partum period,
unrecommended foods post partum period, recommended drinks in the pregnancy,
unrecommended drinks in the pregnancy, recommended drinks post partum period,
and unrecommended drinks post partum period. Javanese women believed that the
recommended foods during pregnancy are rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes.
They must meet the demands of cravings (desire to eat) of certain foods when they
want. The foods which are taboo or not recommended during pregnancy are durian,
chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple, sugar cane, sweet meals, beef sate, catfish,
shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods. The foods recommended after childbirth
are nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters, braised tofu and tempeh. The
foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and sour
foods, egg and fish. Meanwhile, the drinks recommended during pregnancy are
breast milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink and honey mixed with chicken egg.
The un-recommended drinks during pregnancy involve ice, herbs and sweet drinks,
while the drinks recommended after childbirth are herbal drinks for breast milk
production. In postpartum, women are not recommended to have iced drinks.
DISCUSSION
Javanese women believed that the recommended foods during pregnancy are
rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes. In different with Paodicherry society, most
common reason for restriction of specified fruit / vegetables was abortion (Patil,
Mittal, Vedapriya, Khan & Raghavia, 2010).
The foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and
sour foods, egg and fish. It was almost the same of Lao. Dietary avoidences in
postpartum practices were strict especially in the first postpartum fortnight.
Vegetables and fruits were rarely eaten. During the first months in postpartum,
mothers did not eat popular food, such as raw or fermented vegetables, fruits, meat,
liquid meals and sauces, sugar and spices (Barennes, et al, 2007)
In postpartum, Javanese women are not recommended to have iced drinks.
The diet Chinese women was directed at attaining yin-yang (cold-hot) balance,
whereby “hot” foods were most commonly used and “cold” foods were avoided.
Ginger, rice wine and sesame seed oil, considered “hot” foods, were used in large
amounts in the cooking. Rice, chicken and pork were also consumed in large
amounts. Most vegetables and fruits were considered “cold” and were prohibited
during confinement (Koon, Peng & Karim, 2005)
Javanese women are recommended drinks after childbirth are herbal drinks for
breast milk production. Most mothers of Chinese women drank specially-prepared
teas boiled from Chinese herbs (Koon, Peng & Karim, 2005).
CONCLUSSION & RECOMMENDATIOS
Traditional recommended and un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy
and postpartum period are commonly obseved in Javanese women's. The dietary
aspects of these Javanese practices were adhered to for the most part, and this
rather limited the food choices of the mother.
Community nurses to provide services in accordance with its beliefs that are
contrary to the concept of health and support the ones which are in line with it. More
qualitative studies are needed to understand the sociocultural basis of avoidances
and the reason for their persistence in Javanese society. Attendance at pregnancy
and postpartum period is high and could be an opportunity to improve nutrition in
Javanese women and children. A more balanced diet should be recommended for
women Javanese in pregnancy and postpartum. Bearing in mind beneficial
traditional practices, especially the emphasis on meats which help to ensure that the
pregnancy and pospartum diet consists of good quality protein and a high intake of
iron and the B vitamins, in order to ensure adequate untake of fiber, vitamins and
ninerals.
Reference
1. Barennes, H., Simmala, C., Odermatt, P., Thaybouavone, T., Valle, J.,
Martinez-Ussel, B., Newton, P. And Strobel, M. (2007). Postpartum traditions
and nutrition practices among urban Lao women and their infants in Vientiane,
Lao PDR. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007): 1- 9.
2. Hasnah, Triratnawati, A. (2003). Penulusuran kasus-kasus kegawatdaruratan
obstetri yang berakibat kematian maternal. Makara Kesehatan. Volume 7 No.
2, Desember 2003: 38-47.
3. Koon, P.B., Peng, W.Y., and Karim, N.A. (2005). Postpartum dietary intakes
and food taboos among Chinese women attending Maternal and Child Health
Clinics and Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Mal J Nutr 11 (10 : 1-21.
4. Meyer, V.B. and Rochow, B.M. (2009). Food taboos: their origins and
purposes. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2009, 5: 8. Doi:
10.1186/1746-4269-5-18: 1-10.
5. Patil, R., Mittal, A., Vedapriya, DR., Khan, M.I. and Raghavia, M. (2010).
Taboos and misconceptions about food during pregnancy among rural
population of Pondicherry. Calicut Medical Journal 2010; 8 (2):e4: 1-5.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank all participants for their support and cooperation. We are
grateful to my wife and my friends in Nursing Science of Diponegoro University for
motivation.
UNRECOMMENDED FOODS AND DRINKS IN THE PREGNANCY AND POST
PARTUM PERIOD
Muhamad Rofi'i *
*) Basic Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro
University. Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang - Semarang, 50 275. Phone. (024)
76486849, Fax. (024) 76480919. Email: rofiimuhamad@yahoo.com
Abstract
Background: Javanese women in Indonesia have different belief during pregnancy and
postpartum. This belief was adopted because of the influence of cultures from their parents.
Purpose: This study aims to determine the Javanese women's belief about recommended
and un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy and postpartum period. Method: The
research used qualitative design with in-depth interview and phenomenological approach.
The samples were 4 women who have been pregnant and given birth. Results: This study
has eight categories i.e recommended foods in the pregnancy, unrecommended foods in the
pregnancy, recommended foods post partum period, unrecommended foods post partum
period, recommended drinks in the pregnancy, unrecommended drinks in the pregnancy,
recommended drinks post partum period, and unrecommended drinks post partum period.
Javanese women believed that the recommended foods during pregnancy are rice,
vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes. They must meet the demands of cravings (desire to eat)
of certain foods when they want. The foods which are taboo or not recommended during
pregnancy are durian, chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple, sugar cane, sweet meals,
beef sate, catfish, shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods. The foods recommended after
childbirth are nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters, braised tofu and tempeh.
The foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and sour
foods, egg and fish. Meanwhile, the drinks recommended during pregnancy are maternal
milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink and honey mixed with chicken egg. The unrecommended drinks during pregnancy involve ice, herbs and sweet drinks, while the drinks
recommended after childbirth are herbal drinks for breast milk production. In postpartum,
women are not recommended to have iced drinks. Conclusion: Community nurses to provide
services in accordance with its beliefs that are contrary to the concept of health and support
the ones which are in line with it.
Keywords: community
recommended drinks
nurses,
pregnancy,
postpartum,
recommended
foods,
un-
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, Javanese women adhere to special dietary practices during
pregnancy and post partum period. Javanese women in Indonesia have different
belief during pregnancy and postpartum. This belief was adopted because of the
influence of cultures from their parents. Dietary rules and regulations may govern
particular phases of the human life cycle and maybe associated with special events
such as pregnancy, childbirth, post partum and lactation. Food and drink taboos
have a long history and one ought to expect a sound explanation for the existence of
certain dietary customs in a given. Post partum maternal food restrictions (food
avoidances) are common practices, which may have important health consequences
in reducing the nutritional content of breast milk. Traditional practices may have
important health implications for both mother and infant. Early complementary food
may reduced or terminate thier breast milk intake.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to determine the Javanese women's belief about recommended and
un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy and postpartum period.
MATERIAL & METHODS
Sample : The samples were 4 women who have been pregnant and given
birth. The participants were Javanese etnic, with age rate 27 – 44 years old.
Instruments : The research used qualitative design with in-depth interview and
phenomenological approach.
Data collection : The participants received a letter of information, which
described the aim of the study. All 4 participants approached, declared wilingness to
participate in a personal, tape recorder interview. The interview were open and semistructured, which is the general data collection method when using qualitative
research methods. The interviews varied betwen 40 and 60 minutes and each
interview was carried out at a time and in a place, chosen by the participants.
Data Analyisis : The author performed the analysis. The author transcribed
each interview verbatim. The interviews were read through several times to gain
familiarity of the material and sense of the whole. Each interview was then
processed separately to identify narrativesthat described Javanese women’s believe.
The analysis entailed comparisons of narratives to identify differences and
similarities betwen them in relation to the aim of study. The narratives were grouped
according to common characteristic traits in order to obtain an overall picture of how
these narratives could be related to each other. Saturation was reached after four
interviews, the point at which no new believe emerged in the analysis. The
categories were formulated so that they described the context and were illustrated
with quotations from the interviews.
RESULTS
No
Categories
Keywords
1. Recommended foods in
Rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes
the pregnancy
2. Unrecommended foods in Durian, chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple,
sugar cane, sweet meals, beef sate, catfish,
the pregnancy
shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods
Nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters,
3. Recommended foods
braised tofu and tempeh
post partum period
4. Unrecommended foods
Chili, spicy foods, hot and sour foods, egg and
post partum period
fish
5. Recommended drinks in
Breast milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink
the pregnancy
and honey mixed with chicken egg
6. Unrecommended drinks
Ice, herbs and sweet drinks
in the pregnancy
7. Recommended drinks
Herbal drinks
post partum period
8. Unrecommended drinks
Iced drinks
post partum period
Tabel 1. Categories and keywords Javanese women's belief
This study has eight categories i.e recommended foods in the pregnancy,
unrecommended foods in the pregnancy, recommended foods post partum period,
unrecommended foods post partum period, recommended drinks in the pregnancy,
unrecommended drinks in the pregnancy, recommended drinks post partum period,
and unrecommended drinks post partum period. Javanese women believed that the
recommended foods during pregnancy are rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes.
They must meet the demands of cravings (desire to eat) of certain foods when they
want. The foods which are taboo or not recommended during pregnancy are durian,
chili, fermented cassava, eel, pineapple, sugar cane, sweet meals, beef sate, catfish,
shrimps, and plentiful hot and spicy foods. The foods recommended after childbirth
are nutritious food, katu leaves, spinach, corn fritters, braised tofu and tempeh. The
foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and sour
foods, egg and fish. Meanwhile, the drinks recommended during pregnancy are
breast milk, coconut water, water, herbal drink and honey mixed with chicken egg.
The un-recommended drinks during pregnancy involve ice, herbs and sweet drinks,
while the drinks recommended after childbirth are herbal drinks for breast milk
production. In postpartum, women are not recommended to have iced drinks.
DISCUSSION
Javanese women believed that the recommended foods during pregnancy are
rice, vegetables, fruit, and side-dishes. In different with Paodicherry society, most
common reason for restriction of specified fruit / vegetables was abortion (Patil,
Mittal, Vedapriya, Khan & Raghavia, 2010).
The foods which are not recommended in postpartum are chili, spicy foods, hot and
sour foods, egg and fish. It was almost the same of Lao. Dietary avoidences in
postpartum practices were strict especially in the first postpartum fortnight.
Vegetables and fruits were rarely eaten. During the first months in postpartum,
mothers did not eat popular food, such as raw or fermented vegetables, fruits, meat,
liquid meals and sauces, sugar and spices (Barennes, et al, 2007)
In postpartum, Javanese women are not recommended to have iced drinks.
The diet Chinese women was directed at attaining yin-yang (cold-hot) balance,
whereby “hot” foods were most commonly used and “cold” foods were avoided.
Ginger, rice wine and sesame seed oil, considered “hot” foods, were used in large
amounts in the cooking. Rice, chicken and pork were also consumed in large
amounts. Most vegetables and fruits were considered “cold” and were prohibited
during confinement (Koon, Peng & Karim, 2005)
Javanese women are recommended drinks after childbirth are herbal drinks for
breast milk production. Most mothers of Chinese women drank specially-prepared
teas boiled from Chinese herbs (Koon, Peng & Karim, 2005).
CONCLUSSION & RECOMMENDATIOS
Traditional recommended and un-recommended food or drink during pregnancy
and postpartum period are commonly obseved in Javanese women's. The dietary
aspects of these Javanese practices were adhered to for the most part, and this
rather limited the food choices of the mother.
Community nurses to provide services in accordance with its beliefs that are
contrary to the concept of health and support the ones which are in line with it. More
qualitative studies are needed to understand the sociocultural basis of avoidances
and the reason for their persistence in Javanese society. Attendance at pregnancy
and postpartum period is high and could be an opportunity to improve nutrition in
Javanese women and children. A more balanced diet should be recommended for
women Javanese in pregnancy and postpartum. Bearing in mind beneficial
traditional practices, especially the emphasis on meats which help to ensure that the
pregnancy and pospartum diet consists of good quality protein and a high intake of
iron and the B vitamins, in order to ensure adequate untake of fiber, vitamins and
ninerals.
Reference
1. Barennes, H., Simmala, C., Odermatt, P., Thaybouavone, T., Valle, J.,
Martinez-Ussel, B., Newton, P. And Strobel, M. (2007). Postpartum traditions
and nutrition practices among urban Lao women and their infants in Vientiane,
Lao PDR. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007): 1- 9.
2. Hasnah, Triratnawati, A. (2003). Penulusuran kasus-kasus kegawatdaruratan
obstetri yang berakibat kematian maternal. Makara Kesehatan. Volume 7 No.
2, Desember 2003: 38-47.
3. Koon, P.B., Peng, W.Y., and Karim, N.A. (2005). Postpartum dietary intakes
and food taboos among Chinese women attending Maternal and Child Health
Clinics and Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Mal J Nutr 11 (10 : 1-21.
4. Meyer, V.B. and Rochow, B.M. (2009). Food taboos: their origins and
purposes. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2009, 5: 8. Doi:
10.1186/1746-4269-5-18: 1-10.
5. Patil, R., Mittal, A., Vedapriya, DR., Khan, M.I. and Raghavia, M. (2010).
Taboos and misconceptions about food during pregnancy among rural
population of Pondicherry. Calicut Medical Journal 2010; 8 (2):e4: 1-5.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank all participants for their support and cooperation. We are
grateful to my wife and my friends in Nursing Science of Diponegoro University for
motivation.